A MOTORIST is lucky to be alive after skidding off the East Lancashire Road and careering down a grass verge.

At 7.30am this morning a Citroen Xsara Picasso skidded in the rain and, after hitting the kerb, smashed through a fence and down a grass verge before ending up overturned in a field.

The incident occurred near Leigh fire station and the male driver, aged 40, was taken to Wigan Hospital with injuries which are not believed to be serious. 

First on the scene was an off duty policeman who, after spotting the crash, pulled over and got the driver out of his vehicle and to safety. 

Firefighters then made the car safe by isolating the battery and gave the man a basic first aid check before ambulance paramedics arrived.